The present invention relates generally to spacecraft communication systems, and more particularly, to a one-dimensional interleaved multi-beam antenna system for use in spacecraft communication systems.
The assignee of the present invention manufactures and deploys communication satellites. In order to provide desired coverage of a particular area on the Earth, and maximize re-use of the allocated frequency spectrum, it is necessary to use an interleaved multi-beam antenna system.
Conventional multi-beam antenna systems typically localize antenna beams on a two dimensional triangular or rectangular lattice. Conventional reflector or lens multi-beam antenna systems generally require the use of three or four apertures to efficiently achieve the desired coverage. Furthermore, the bandwidth for each beam produced by conventional multi-beam antennas and useable in a frequency re-use plan is generally less that would be desired.
It would therefore be desirable to have a multi-beam antenna system for use with a communications satellite that maximizes frequency re-use of the allocated frequency spectrum. Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide for an improved one-dimensional interleaved multi-beam antenna system for use in spacecraft communication systems.